Kriti Sanon wearing a bralette in a jewellery advertisement themed around Raksha Bandhan sparked an uproar on social media. What began as criticism of the actor’s choice of attire soon turned into a political debate, with several people objecting to her outfit and to the inclusion of a pet dog in the Raksha Bandhan ritual shown in the advertisement. However, Kriti’s fans also came to her defence and supported her choice of outfit.
Kunickaa shared Kangana’s old ad amid Kriti row
BJP MP and actor Kangana Ranaut was among the first Bollywood celebrities to comment on the debate. She slammed Kriti and the brand over the outfit, which she felt was inappropriate for a traditional Hindu festival. She called the commercial ‘creepy’ and asked in her post, “Why would you tie your brother a rakhi in your bikini/undergarments?”
After Kangana’s sharp jibe at Kriti, actor Kunickaa Sadanand took to X (formerly Twitter) to hit back at Kangana. She shared an old advertisement featuring Kangana wearing a strapless gown. The advertisement was also themed around Raksha Bandhan and was for a jewellery brand.
The old ad had originally been posted by a social media user, and Kunickaa reposted it with a caption taking a dig at Kangana. She wrote, “Mera kutta kutta, tera kutta Tommy??? 😳🤪”
Kunickaa’s comment is in reference to the viral meme from Bigg Boss 13 when contestant Shehnaaz Gill spoke this line while expressing her anger.
What did Kangana say about Kriti?
Kangana had criticised Kriti and the advertisement in an Instagram post. She wrote, “It’s a wonderful time to be a woman. Our closets are full of variety of clothes, today’s woman is a global woman. From cocktail dresses to lehenga cholis, jeans to saris, bikinis to salwar kameez, from all the options that are available to us today why would you tie your brother a rakhi in your bikini/undergarments? Where are all your styling options? Ha ha the advert looks intentionally creepy!”
Kriti defended herself, ad taken down
Following the backlash, the jewellery brand took down Kriti’s advertisement. The Cocktail 2 actor, however, took to Instagram to defend her attire in the advertisement and questioned the practice of policing women’s clothing.
She wrote, “The essence of festivals is not in the clothes you wear, it is in the emotions and meaning you hold for the traditions. Rakshabandhan is a bond of protection. My sister and I tie rakhi to each other. We know we can protect each other no less than a brother would have. We pray for each other’s health, happiness & long life. And for us, this prayer and promise extends to our dogs too! Afterall, they are family! Also, when will we stop telling women what to wear?? Ethnic fashion has evolved over the years, but still a woman’s respect for her culture is measured with just her clothes!! Culture & Traditions are in her heart, not in her neckline!”